Baha’i Principles – site review

interesting textureOriginally uploaded by gumbootspearlz.  Photograph taken by Atticus.  (C) All rights reserved February 2007Baha’is will let you know of their Faith because it is a beautiful gift which they should not hold onto and hide from you.

They will tell you or show you more about it if you are interested. People are welcome to attend meetings and to visit the Houses of Worship in places like Sydney, India and Samoa.

Today I came across a site which I greatly appreciated because of its focus on Baha’i principles and its inclusion of some awesome photographs.

A visit to http://www.bahaiprinciples.org/  is informative and inspiring for those wishing to explore the Principles of the Baha’is. The site also shares stories of Baha’is around the world enacting their principles both in the early days and in more contemporary times. It is a site that Baha’is wishing to deepen their Faith and to know more about its history will also appreciate.

Such majesty- Divine Springtime

see the tree to understand the gumboots tribute- Queensland curtain fig

Originally uploaded by gumbootspearlz.

Glory to Thee, O my God! The first stirrings of the spring of Thy grace have appeared and clothed Thine earth with verdure. The clouds of the heaven of Thy bounty have rained their rain on this City within whose walls is imprisoned Him Whose desire is the salvation of Thy creatures. Through it the soil of this City hath been decked forth, and its trees clothed with foliage, and its inhabitants gladdened.

The hearts of Thy dear ones, however, will rejoice only at the Divine Springtime of Thy tender mercies, whereby the hearts are quickened, and the souls are renewed, and the trees of human existence bear their fruits.

Baha’u'llah
Prayers and Meditations, CXVII

Today is a day to think about divine springtimes, renewal and the growth of spirituality in the world. After days and days of rain the sun has been shining, warming up the pool water, and working its way into everyone’s bones.

Perhaps its a little too hot- the heat is searing and everyone longs for a bit of shade. This is where the trees are so wonderful. All the drains have dried up and the floods have gone. It is strange to feel as if one is afloat on an ark. Everywhere one looks the world is in turmoil. It is disturbing to watch the news and see so many sinking ships. Compassion comes out and floats out in the ocean. Divine springtime like a beacon is shining- through the branches- from the skies.

Happy Valentines Day

Paulien Bats art 6Originally uploaded by gumbootspearlz.

I love this picture by my friend Paulien.  It seems an apt one to share on Valentines day.

Today all the mums with prep kids were invited to class just before the end of school. Our little ones had baked us jam tarts. They also wrote a little note of why we were Queen of their hearts…. very sweet.  We played some games with them as they took over their classroom and hosted us for Valentine’s Day.

This is a poem I wrote for my first born (just about to turn 11 years old) and his father

Life lines

Imagine you gone
no you to share this life
spread out in the palm of
our tiny son’s hand

no life lines
leading me to see this worlds
in his grasp which comes so easily
to trust us

each finger folds
you and me
in a single stroke
he leads us to guide him

he touches our cheeks
and leaves affinity deep
within our grasp

our heartlines joined
have caused him to appear
as if he has always been
the answer which we sought

he recreates our fortunes
in curtain fig trees
stretched along the Strand.

As we read the stretch of lines in
each other’s Hands
& hold this phenomenon
so dear
so fragile

the palmistry of this beloved
unfurls
the universe

(c) all rights reserved gumbootspearlz

Crocodiles and Driers

umbrella out you go Originally uploaded by gumbootspearlz.

Today it was reported that due to all the rain and flooding in the North we should keep a look out for crocodiles http://au.news.yahoo.com/070203/2/12afq.html.   

This is definitely something I better not tell my four year old son. The last time we went to the beach he saw a beware of crocodile sign and decided he was just not going to walk anywhere along the beach.  He rushed back to the car and found out when he arrived there that Dad had the car keys. Panic and pandemonium. Luckily big brother was there to save the day and calmed him down.  He has that special magic that led Maxie to say Big brother can drop me off at school today Mum and I won’t cry! (He is one of the new prep kids so its been a big week for us all.)

The rain has meant the kids have seen a few DVDs in the lunch hours at schools. I suppose this is an easy thing to do, but sometimes I do with they could do something else. Perhaps a game of something instead? Perhaps this has been tried though and something went terribly wrong like the children decided to play that wink and kill game and it just turned into an episode of “Murder the kids wrote.” 

Maxie has taken to doing handstands off everything.  I am waiting for him to go straight through our glass coffee table.  Why oh why did we buy that in a garage sale.  So rainy days – at home – have meant playing tennis and cricket in the garage.  We have also been to freezing swimming lessons where most people cancel and we still brave it and shiver just to get a bit of exercise.  I can’t see us heading off to any garage sales this weekend though.

Someone gave us an old exercise bike. It would be an understatement to say it is not well balanced , but the children imagine delectable days on their bikes and hop on it to ride their way to freedom.  It balances their rainy days.  If only we had an indoor gymnasium in our backyard.

When you live where there is a wet season there is something far worse than crocodiles- the breakdown of the drier.   At least ours only cost $20 but we are in need of another one.  It is just so difficult to get things dry when it is humid. Our loungeroom is the drier room and the fans are working overtime trying to get it all dry.

Driving in the rain-  well to be honest I have been avoiding it.  Yet living in the North I will just have to learn to hack it.  When it lessens just a bit I’ll have a go but I am not looking forward to it.  Perhaps though I might have an opportunity to photograph a crocodile running away with my washing and being chased by crazed kids doing an impression of the Croc hunter – as the rain cries in his memory. 

(c) All rights reserved gumbootspearlz

Sacred Country Unwrapped

R002-016 (c) Jenni MartinielloOriginally uploaded by gumbootspearlz.

11th February to 25th of March 2007

Congratulations to Jenni and Kerry who have an upcoming exhibition. As usual the tyranny of distance means I can’t make it to the opening but there is no reason some people reading this blog can’t make it.

Sacred Country Unwrapped an exhibition of photography at the Collector Gallery, brings together the work of two prominent Aboriginal women, Jennifer Martiniello and Kerry Reed-Gilbert.

Where: Collector Gallery 22 Church St

When: Saturdays 1-5pm, Sunday 11-5.30pm Other times by appointment

phone 02-48480073   mobile 0419 492 658

Jenni presents 16 magnificent aerial photographs of traditional and sacred Aboriginal countries, including her grandmother’s and father’s traditional countries in the far north of South Australia. A further 6 arresting works capture the enduring spiritual nature of land and water.

Jenni Kemarre Martiniello, born in Adelaide, South Australia of Arrernte, Chinese and Anglo-Celtic descent, has over 20 years experience working in the arts and professional and community development.

Kerry’s photography has been hung in numerous exhibitions including at the nner Sydney Gallery Boomalli Aboriginal Artists co-operative, one of Australia’s longest running Aboriginal owned and operated Art Galleries and Co-operatives. Her work is held in the AIATSIS and the Australia Council collections, was included in the Sydney and Athens Olympics and will be shown in Beijing as part of the Indigenous Australians Now exhibition.

Kerry Reed-Gilbert, a Wiradjuri woman from central NSW, has written extensively since the 1990s, addressing issues, concerns and interests elevant to Indigenous people. Her photography, a more recent expression of her messenger role, fills the same purpose.

The exhibition of 40 photographs, will be opened on Sunday 11 February at 3pm by Brenda L. Croft, Senior Curator for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art, National Gallery of Australia.

The exhibition, curated by Wathaurong artist Lyndy Delian, continues until 25 March. Members of the public are warmly invited to the opening.